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I'm half afraid I am using up too much space here.Fethard Lifeboat Disaster.

On Friday February 20th., 1914 a Norwegian barque, 'The Mexico' went aground off the Keeragh Islands, off the Wexford coast.Within a short time, the lifeboat from Fethard was at the scene.As it tried to approach the stricken vessel, it was lashed by a mighty wave and smashed to pieces.Nine of the fourteen crew members were swept to their deaths as their companions and the men from 'The Mexico' scrambled onto the nearby rocks.As these thirteen men clung to the rocks, the lifeboat from Kilmore attempted a rescue but was driven back by the fierce gale.So the men spent a dark and stormy night on those inhospitable rocks.Next day, the steam tug "Wexford", towed the lifeboat from Rosslare Fort to the scene to join the Dunmore East lifeboat in a rescue attempt. However, the storm was so strong that all boats had to shelter in harbour.Throughout Sunday, they could only watch as their fellow seamen clung to the rocks in a storm too fierce for lifeboats to sail.On Monday, another attempt was made. Still, the lifeboats could not approach the rocks, but two men, Bill Duggan and Jim Wickham of the Rosslare Fort lifeboat, took a dinghy and ferried the survivors two at a time from their ice cold rocks.The operation needed 6 trips in stormy seas to bring all to safety, but on the second of these, the dinghy was holed. For the remaining trips the sea was kept out by a loaf of bread wrapped in oilskins, plugged into the opening.

Many ballads were written of this sad disaster and heroic rescue, including the anonymous 'The Fethard Lifeboat Crew', containing the lines....

"The thunder roared, the lightning flashed, the seas like mountains ran,But onward 'mid that tempestuous storm the lifeboat proudly came.The signal which she flashed that night was the white o'er the green in view:The signal which a sailor reads: 'I will not abandon you'.

As she neared the ill fated Mexico, oh heavens what a shock,Their boat was dashed to pieces on the dreaded Keeragh Rock.Oh God what a sensation, to behold those heroes brave,Contending with the raging seas, their precious lives to save.The crew of the gallant Mexico, though terror stricken too,They rendered all assistance to the drowning lifeboat crew.

Five of those gallant heroes were all that could be found.The other nine, by the Keeragh Rock, I'm sorry to say were drowned.May God have mercy upon their souls, who gave their noble lives,And heaven guard the helpless ones those heroes left behind."

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Do you know what 'Destitute Persons Relieved out of the Workhouse' means? Does it mean these people fell on hard times so had to go into the workhouse, but were then able to leave it again after a while? Does the money mean they were given money by the workhouse to use after they left?

A couple of questions for you. Where is Byrne's Lane? My mother was born in Fisher's Row in 1940 prior to moving to the new Maudlintown estate in 1948 but say's back then Fisher's Row was known as 'Byrne's Lane' The town map of Wexford at the turn of the century has the road in question named as Fisher's Row so where is she getting this name from?

Also an ancestor of mine was living in King St in the 1901 census and is stated to be a 'soldier'. I assume he was stationed at the nearby military Barracks in Barrack St. Do you know if there are any local archives where enlisted soldiers are recorded and perhaps their military records kept?

SteveHere is the Byrne's Lane answer from my article on Wexford Lanes:"Byrne’s Lane became part of Fisher’s Row in the last century. In 1885, K. Neal a dressmaker and James Newton a ship’s carpenter were among the inhabitants. In or around 1932 family names associated with the lane included Carty, Mansfield, Furlong, Askinson, Blake, Williams, Ffrench and Dalton. Some nicknames of residents will recall an earlier time. These were ‘Gundy’ Brien and ‘Picket’ Fortune. There was a shed there owned by Frank Swan and the big house on the corner at William Street was Donnelley’s. The lane linked William’s Street to The Faythe."Regarding the soldier there is good news and bad news.The bad news is that pre-1920 Irish records seldom survived. The good news is tat in 1901 he was in the British Army so the PRO at Kew might have his details.Nicky

Thanks for the reply. I’m still a little baffled by the Byrne’s Lane/Fishers Row position. I’m currently trawling through the old archived Wexford newspapers in the National Library and noticed that in one paper in the 30’s they had a list of rent payers some living in a Byrne’s Lane and some in Fishers Row giving the impression there were two distinct roads. Is it possible that one half of the road was known under one name and the other half under the other name?

My Mother’s family name was Dalton so it was great to see the surname listed. The 1932 date you mention is interesting though because her mother & father were, as far as I was aware, living in the Faythe until at least 1936 and subsequently moved at some point to Fishers Row, I’m not sure exactly when. Evidence accumulated so far shows that my Dalton ancestors lived in Distillery Road from at least 1888 until 1901, were living in Bride St in 1911 and were resident in Barrack St between 1916 - 1925. Luckily it’s not a common a surname in Wexford Town making research a little easier.

Which leads me onto another question on Lanes if I may?

In the 17/10/36 edition of the Wexford Free Press there’s a story under the heading HOUSE BURNED. ‘A thatched house in Bakehouse Lane, the Faythe & occupied by Thomas Dalton his wife & family was gutted by fire…’ (This was my Grandfather, my mother still has an original cutting of the article). Do you have any information on this Lane, especially with regards to its exact location on the Faythe and what happened to it?

PS Last year I bought your book “My Wexford” for my mother which she really enjoyed having been brought up in Wexford Town in the same era as yourself.

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